Emerald Moments
by Rhysel Ash
Summary: Harry never got on the train in first year, in fact, he wasn't even in the right country at the time. At 17, he is found again, but is the wizarding world ready for this Seattle-grown youth? This story is very AU. Chptr 10 now up.
1. Prologue

Emerald Moments  
Prologue  
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize does not belong to me.. and I'm a poor college student, so it wouldn't be worth your time anyway...

As Big Ben chimed the eleventh hour, a train began to pull out of Kings Cross Station. Parents stood on the platform, waving as their children headed towards Scotland for another year of school.

While the train picked up speed, the students on board began to catch up with friends and, as it happened every year, there was also a group of children meeting for the first time. They were making friendships that would last them the next seven years and beyond. However, there was one missing from the ranks of first year students; Harry Potter had not gotten on the train.

**

* * *

**

"Seb!" A voice called through the house. "Sebastian Carter! If you don't get up this instant, you'll be late!"

A green-eyed youth grumbled as he rolled out of bed and padded towards the bathroom. Stepping into the shower, he let the warm water run over his shoulders and down his back, washing away the remnants of his nightmares. Sebastian had not had nightmares in many years, but recently they had returned at full force. In the past two weeks, he had had this same dream at least eight or nine times. It was always the same dream. However, when he woke up in the morning all he could ever remember was a woman's screams, a door slamming, and a loud roaring noise, which Sebastian now assumed was an engine of sorts.

The youth sighed as he shut off the water. There was no use delaying the inevitable. Looking into the mirror, he could not help but glare at the young man who stared back. Taking his time, he took in the messy hair, once pitch black, now with silver and blue highlights, the emerald green eyes, and lean shoulders. Sebastian had always been small for his age, and he seriously hoped it would not be that way forever.

Eventually Seb was able to draw his gaze from the mirror. He reached into the drawer and pulled out the case for his contact lenses. After making sure they were clean, he quickly put them in; he hated touching his eyes, but he hated wearing glasses even more. Looking back at his reflection, he was happy to see ice-blue eyes looking back. It was not that he truly disliked his green eyes, but he could not help but feel that they did not belong to Sebastian Xavier Carter.

Another shout from downstairs prompted Seb into action again. He walked back to his room and started pulling different items of clothing out of his closet. Quickly enough he settled on a pair of black slacks and a tight black tank top with a short-sleeved button-down that had a Chinese dragon on the back. Taking the time to check his hair in the small mirror by his door, he grabbed his boots and book bag and headed downstairs.

* * *

"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?" Sebastian just grunted in response to his mother's question as he continued to dig around in the refrigerator. "Sebastian Xavier, you know better than that. Please articulate when you speak." The movement behind the refrigerator door stopped.

"Sorry Mom." Seb pulled some orange juice from the icebox and shut the door with his foot. "I had another nightmare last night."

"Oh, sweetie. Was it the same one?"

"Yeah, it hasn't changed, nor has what I can remember when I wake up." He stared at his juice, refusing to look at his mother. Suddenly the theme from Inspector Gadget broke through the uncomfortable silence that had settled in the kitchen.

"Yeah, X here." Laura Carter glanced at her son as he answered his cell phone. She knew only his closest friends were allowed to call him X. "Hey Mike… yeah, it sucks that summer's over…. No, I'm taking my bike today, while I still have the chance… yeah, alright. I'll meet you at the Cave. Hasta."

Sebastian hung up and finished his juice, then glanced at the clock on the wall behind him. If he did not leave now, he would be late on the first day of classes, not good.

"Mom, I gotta split. We'll talk when I get home this afternoon, okay?" Laura nodded as her son kissed her on the cheek and watched silently as he pulled on his boots and headed to the garage.

Out in the garage his baby waited. A black Honda Shadow with silver and blue flames, to match his hair. He pulled his jacket and helmet out of the closet and threw his books into the case on the back of the bike. He started the engine and let the familiar rumble soothe his nerves. Sebastian did not know why, but he had always felt more at home behind the handlebars than behind the wheel of a car. It had been an uphill battle when he first got his bike, but eventually his parents relented. Sebastian was allowed to use his bike as long as he always wore his helmet and motorcycle jacket, even in the

* * *

As Sebastian took off down the road, he could not help but feel relieved as he was finally able to focus on something other than those damn nightmares. The ride to school was generally a peaceful one, and Seb loved it, especially at this time of year. Tourists always complained about the amount of rain during the summer, but the locals knew better; there are few things more beautiful than the Emerald City on a clear day in early autumn.

When he pulled into the high school's parking lot, Seb laughed at the madhouse he did not have to take part in. Because he rode the motorcycle, Sebastian was allowed to park anywhere there was enough space for him to fit. He pulled into the closest spot and shut down the engines, then undid the chinstrap on his helmet and yanked it off. When his head finally escaped, he shook his hair to get it looking right and waved to a few people he recognized. With that, he started towards the oppressive looking building, completely unaware of what the school year would have for him this year.


	2. Chapter I

Emerald Moments

Chapter I

Disclaimer: don't own it, have no money, don't sue

Six years. Six years had passed since Harry Potter should have boarded the Hogwarts Express. He should have been starting his seventh year, but Albus Dumbledore did not know where the boy was. He did not understand how, but the aged headmaster had a gut feeling that Harry was alive, that he was out there somewhere.

* * *

"Mr. Carter!"

Sebastian turned from his friend Mike James and looked sheepishly at his history teacher. "Uh, yessir?"

"Would you please explain to the class what you and Mr. James find so funny about the Black Death?" Steven Waltzer understood that these kids were still in summer vacation mode, he was still young enough to remember how hard it was to pay attention during the first few days of class.

"Funny, sir?" Sebastian looked confused. "Is there something comedic about the Bubonic, Pneumonic, and Septicemic Plagues? Because if there is, please tell us! The class could use a good laugh."

Mr. Waltzer just shook his head. He should have expected a comment like that. He had taught Sebastian Carter before. That kid was too smart for his own good. "I don't believe we've gotten to that part yet Mr. Carter, why don't you tell us about the three plagues you just mentioned?"

"Well, I would if I could, and I can, but I won't." Sebastian smirked at his teacher while he worked through his last statement.

"Carter, just… see me after class."

"Yessir." With that, Sebastian turned back to his conversation with Mike. Mr. Waltzer eyed the two youths, one slender and dark haired, the other had an athletic build and a mop of light brown curls, they were so different and so alike at the same time. Steven shook his head at their familiar antics and continued with his lesson.

When the bell finally signaled the end of the period, Mike and Sebastian strolled up to Steven's desk. He did not even glance up at them. "Mike, please wait outside for Mr. Carter, or better yet, go to your next class. I'm sure he'll tell you everything when he gets there." Mike grinned at Sebastian and left the room.

"Yo, Steve! What's up?"

"Take a seat, Sebastian. I want to speak with you about your performance in class." Sebastian fell gracefully into the offered chair as Mr. Waltzer settled onto the edge of his desk. "I did catch your little comment at the beginning of class, just so you know. But what I don't understand is why you pretend to be the dumbest kid in this school. Most kids your age have barely studied the Black Death, let alone know it was actually three different plagues."

Sebastian slumped in his seat and mumbled a response without looking at his teacher.

"Oh no, you can't get out of this that easily. And don't mumble; I know your mother taught you to speak properly." Steven sat back and waited for the kid to answer.

Sebastian sighed, he knew having an uncle for a teacher would come back to bite him in the ass one day. "I don't know." He could not meet his uncle's eyes. "Why should I waste my time paying attention in class when I already know what the teachers are talking about? It's not as if I need to. I do all my homework, I have a 3.8 GPA, I'm in band, and I play sports. Do I really have to impress my peers by acting like a bookworm? I don't care what they think." By this point, Sebastian had worked up the nerve to meet the gaze of his teacher, but he met it with an air of defiance.

"Look, Seb, it's not about impressing your peers or your teachers. It's not even about the homework and the grades. What is important is that you get a good education so you have options in life." Steve stood and walked around behind his desk. Taking a moment to dig through one of the drawers, he pulled out a stack of papers and came back to sit in front of his nephew again. "I have something here that might interest you."

* * *

As he walked into the commons, Sebastian looked around at the different goings-on around the room. The first thing he saw was the upperclassmen, juniors and seniors, controlling the upper commons. It was tradition; they sat at the tables between the student store and the hallway. Next were the sophomores, not yet upperclassmen, but still higher than the freshmen. They occupied the tables between the student store and the stairs. Finally the frosh, lowest on the food chain, they were forced to sit in the lower commons, lovingly referred to as "the pit," between the gym and the cafeteria.

Sebastian quickly spotted Mike at their group's usual table, first on the left as you enter the commons from the 300 hall. They had inherited that particular table from a group of guys who had been seniors during their freshman year. Back then, it had paid to be friends with the higher-ups, it got them out of the pit and allowed them to sit where few freshmen were allowed. When they had returned the next year as sophomores, it was just assumed that they would sit there. As he walked up to the table, Seb greeted the people he had not yet seen and dropped his books before heading down to grab a slice of pizza and a Snapple. He returned to the table and sat down with his buddies.

"Hey guys. First day going well?" Sebastian grinned at their groans.

"Shut up, Seb," Mike deftly smacked him on the back of the head. "And stop smiling like that; I wanna know why Waltzer kept you so long after history. You didn't manage a detention in the first class, did you?"

Sebastian's grin just got even bigger. "No, Uncle Steve didn't give me a detention. C'mon, he'd never do that to his favorite nephew!" His remark was met with a round of snorts from the other people at the table.

"Seb, you're his _only_ nephew, and that wouldn't stop him from giving you detention," Mike replied dryly. "What did he want to talk about?"

"Oh, you know. The typical 'why don't you pay attention in class, everyone knows you're smart' speech." The others waited for him to continue, but Sebastian was focused on his slice of cheese pizza.

"_And_?" They all managed to ask at the same time.

Sebastian looked around the table and blinked at them. "You guys have been spending too much time together. What's next, you all gonna start dressing alike?" Mike hit him upside the head again. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"For being a smartass," Mike pulled the plate with the pizza on it out of Sebastian's reach. "I know you could have gotten out of that lecture in less than two minutes, you didn't show for Spanish until almost half way through the period. There must have been something else."

"Yeah, you're right; Steve wanted to talk to me about something else." Sebastian made a futile attempt to get his pizza back. "Aww, man! I'm hungry, c'mon." When Mike just shook his head, Sebastian continued. "Anyway. He said the school was looking into sending a group of students abroad for a few weeks, and that he thought it was something I might like." He made another attempt to get his food back and was successful this time.


	3. Chapter II

Emerald Moments

Chapter II

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it

Sebastian sped down the tree-lined street after school let out that afternoon, passing by the multitudes of cute family homes without much notice. He knew what the streets looked like, he had lived here for the majority of his life; his mind was occupied with other things. Bastian had not been completely honest with his friends at lunch. Yes, he had spoken with Steven Waltzer about a study abroad program; however, he failed to tell them the true details about the school he would be visiting, should he actually go.

While he was thinking about his earlier conversation, Sebastian felt his cell phone vibrating against his chest. He pulled off to the side of the street and unzipped his jacket so he could reach his inner pocket to get the phone.

"Bastian." Sebastian winced and pulled the phone away from his ear slightly. "Yeah… okay… am I? Oh shit. Sorry. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He listened for a moment longer. "Yes, fifteen, I promise," he shoved his cell back into the pocket, zipped his jacket, and pulled on his helmet then Bastian gunned the bike's engine and zoomed off in the other direction.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Sebastian parked in front of an old, eccentric looking house. It was a two-story dwelling with maroon siding and purple trim; it fit perfectly here on Capitol Hill. He walked up to the ancient doors and entered without knocking.

"You're late again, Bastian." A grandmotherly voice called from where the kitchen used to be.

"I know, Dottie. Should I head straight up?" Sebastian hardly waited for the quiet acknowledgement before bounding quickly up the creaking staircase to the second floor. As he reached the landing, he slowed his steps and tried to walk softly towards the only open door.

"Don't even bother, Mr. Carter. I knew you were here before you even entered the building." A woman's voice sounded from Sebastian's destination.

Bastian sighed in defeat as he walked into the office. Without effort, he vaulted over the back of the brown leather couch, landed in a seated position and had his feet propped up on the desk in front of him. "How do you always know?"

"Because I've known you since you were a child… and it's too easy to tell when you insist on riding that infernal machine." The woman looked up at Sebastian from behind the dark bangs which hung in front of her eyes. She was middle aged, just over five feet tall, and could stop a person dead in their tracks with a single glance. Dr. Emily Luchi was not someone you wanted to cross.

Sebastian could not formulate a coherent response to that, so he did not even try. "Sorry about being late, Doc, I completely forgot about our meeting today."

"It's quite alright, Sebastian. I had a feeling you might forget; what with your mind on the chance to study abroad and everything." She was looking at the files in front of her again.

Sebastian looked sharply at the woman in front of him. "You know, you don't have to sneak around the fact that you're in contact with my mom and Uncle Steve. I know you talk with them on a regular basis."

"I'm not dancing around the subject, I was bringing up a topic of conversation." Dr. Luchi stood and walked around to the front of her desk. She knocked Bastian's feet to the floor, "Come on, up you get."

He sighed and stepped up to the scale that was sitting against the wall. "Doc, you always get my hopes up, but we both know I'm not going to get much taller."

"That may be true, but I still need the information for my records. Now, quit stalling and get up there." Emily smirked as Bastian grumbled about evil doctors who take pleasure in torturing teenage boys. "Now, now, I might be evil, but please understand I only enjoy torturing you."

Sebastian pulled her into a tight hug. "Why, Emily, I never knew you cared!" She laughed and pushed him back towards the scale. After writing down his height and weight, which had not changed since his last visit, they both sat down again.

"So, is there anything in particular you want to talk about? Or should I start fishing for topics?" Dr. Luchi reached across her desk and hit the start button on the tape recorder.

"No, there's no need to fish. I'm sure you heard from Mom that my nightmares have started again." Sebastian seemed to shrink into the couch as he pulled his knees to up his chest. "Did I ever tell you about them? I can't remember. Anyway, it's always the same dream, or, I think it is. I can only remember three things, and that's all I can ever remember."

When it did not look as if Sebastian would continue, Dr. Luchi prompted him quietly. "What do you remember?"

"A woman yelling, not Mom but I know her, a door slamming shut, and a loud roar, maybe a car engine or something." Sebastian did not give any more information.

"Think carefully about the woman's voice, try to consider why it sounds familiar. A voice from before the adoption, perhaps?" Bastian curled into a ball. "Sebastian," Emily called softly. "Come on, kiddo, don't close up on me."

He raised his head slightly before answering. "Maybe. I… I don't know." He had never really discussed his adoption with anyone before.

"Do you remember the first time you met Laura?" Her voice was quiet, trying to keep Sebastian calm. However, he did not hear her as he slipped into his memories.


	4. Interlude

Emerald Moments  
Interlude  
_(AN: this whole chapter is a flashback)_

As she walked into the yard behind the orphanage, the young woman's eyes were immediately drawn to the small figure sitting against the fence. He was alone despite the number of other children present; he had his knees pulled to his chest and was staring at a spot on the grass in front of him. She took in his appearance and noticed messy black hair and green eyes that held the pain of the world in them.

"Ah, I see you've spotted our newest addition."

Laura Waltzer, soon to be Carter, glanced at the older woman who had joined her. She turned back to the boy and asked what his story was.

"The police dropped him off about six months ago, before that is anyone's guess. From observation, we think he's around 4 years old. He doesn't speak much; I suspect there's abuse in there somewhere. He wouldn't even tell us his name."

Laura was shocked at that. "He just wouldn't tell you, or…?"

"Oh, he told us what he could, but all he could remember is being called boy or freak." The woman let out a sigh. "We've taken to calling him Zev." At Laura's look, she explained that it meant wolf, and they picked that because he enjoyed looking at pictures of wolves. "Would you like to meet him?" Laura nodded and they headed to the solitary figure.

When they got closer, the matron called to the child. "Zev? There's someone here to see you, would you like to meet her?"

The boy looked up at the two women. The first he knew, she was in charge here. The other quickly captured his attention. She was tall and slim; her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail with two pieces left to frame her face. He glanced at her heart-shaped face and saw nothing but kindness in her light blue eyes. He nodded shyly and dropped his eyes back to the ground. The matron smiled at Laura and introduced her to the boy then left them to talk.

"Hey munchkin, what's so interesting about the grass?" Laura sat down next to him and leaned against the fence. He mumbled an answer, but she could not catch the words. "Hmm? I didn't hear you."

"I 'unno," he repeated quietly.

Laura didn't push him and instead started to talk about herself, hoping to draw him out of his shell a little. She told him how she had recently graduated from college and was going to be married soon. Mentioning her upcoming wedding took her on a tangent about her fiancé, Jackson Carter. "I think you'd like him. He graduated the year before me and has been putting himself through law school since then. He races sailboats when he has the time, have you ever been on a sailboat?" The boy shook his head. "Well, we're just going to have to fix that; no little boy should live in Seattle without ever having gone sailing." She continued on in this manner, talking about a range of topics, until Zev was watching her with undisguised wonder. He had never met a woman who talked this much.

While she had been talking, the clouds had rolled in and it was threatening to rain. The matron called all the children inside. Laura stood up and dusted off her pants; Zev remained on the ground. She reached a hand out to help him up. "C'mon kiddo, let's head inside before it starts to pour." His wide eyes relayed his shock as he took hold of her hand and she pulled him to his feet. No one had ever talked to him like this before.

The old matron watched Laura while she interacted with the small boy. No one knew anything about this child, but he had wormed his way into everyone's hearts. As sad as she would be to see him go, it was a relief that he might finally have a home.

Laura visited Zev several times during the next few weeks. Each visit brought them closer together. She even managed to bring Jack with her to meet him. They got along well from the start. He was even able to get Zev to ask him a few questions about sailing, which Laura made note of. As they were leaving that afternoon, she held a quiet conversation with the matron, and after a few nods, she rejoined Jack with a huge smile on her face.

The next weekend came with clear skies and warm weather; it was perfect for what Laura has planned. She got up early that Saturday and packed a picnic lunch before heading to the orphanage to see the Zev.

When she got there, Laura was not surprised to see Zev sitting in the bay window waiting for her. She waved and walked to the door; it opened before she even had a chance to knock.

"Hey there, munchkin. How are you today?" Laura ruffled his hair as he clamped onto her leg.

"Otay, how you?"

She laughed slightly at his broken question. "I'm good. I have a surprise for you today." He looked up at her with a questioning gaze. "We're going on a picnic, how's that sound?" His grin was infectious. "Alright, let me go tell the matron we're leaving and then we'll go, okay?" Zev released her legs and she quickly made her way to the office down the hall. Laura let the matron know she was taking Zev for the day and that she'd have him back by dinnertime.

They got in Laura's car, and took off for their adventure. Zev kept asking where they were going, but all Laura would say was that it was a surprise and he would find out soon enough.

Finally, after what seemed like hours to Zev, but was really about fifteen minutes, they reached their destination and got out of the car. Zev looked around with wide eyes and squealed with excitement when he spotted the marina across the street. Laura laughed at him and grabbed his hand with her free one so they could go meet Jackson for a day of sailing.

After getting him into a life jacket and warning him not to run on the dock, Laura sent Zev to Jack, who was walking towards them. "Good morning, Zev. Are you ready to go sailing?" Jack picked the boy up as he reached his side. Zev nodded enthusiastically. "Great! Let's get lunch stored in the galley and we'll get started." He placed Zev in the cockpit and gave Laura a hand as she stepped aboard.

The three of them spent the day sailing around the lake. Around noon, they dropped the sails and set up lunch on the bow. After they had finished eating, Laura picked Zev up and sat him in her lap.

"Hey munchkin, I have something important to ask you." She took a deep breath and continued. "I know you haven't known us very long, but we were wondering if you would like to be our son."

Zev looked between the two with his big eyes. "You be my mommy?"

Laura smiled and nodded her head. "Yup. I'd be your mommy, and Jack would be your daddy." Her smile grew when Zev mumbled a quiet yes and buried his face into her side.

They cleaned up lunch and raised the sails, then spent the rest of the afternoon sailing around the lake. When they got back to the orphanage that night, Laura found the matron and told her that they had reached a decision and were going to adopt the boy.

* * *

_note: I know nothing about how adoption works, so in my little world, taking the boy sailing would be okay._  



	5. Chapter III

Emerald Moments  
Chapter III  
Disclaimer: I don't own it, so please leave the broke college student alone

* * *

Sebastian stood by the window for a moment, staring at the overcast sky. He wasn't sure about heading off to some school in England. Being alone didn't scare him, but he really didn't want to leave his mom and uncle. Since his father had died, Steve Waltzer had become an important figure in his life, and he wasn't quite ready to risk changing their relationship. His eyes became unfocused as his thoughts drifted to the day Jack Carter had died. 

Bastian was ten. It was the end of the school year, and they had been planning a camping trip for the week after school let out. It had been raining that day, as is typical for Seattle in June, and the roads were slick. Jack had been late returning from work, he needed to get some supplies for their trip and the shops would be closing soon. Suddenly, without any warning, there was a screech of tires and a huge impact rammed his car into the guardrail. Jack had been rushed to Overlake Hospital but died due to complications in surgery just hours after the accident.

After that day, Sebastian closed himself off from the world. He rarely spoke, hardly ate, and his grades were abysmal. After several months of this, Laura had called her brother to see if he could get through to the boy. Bastian had always liked his uncle; he had actually been the one to suggest he change his name from Zev to Sebastian during the adoption process. He hadn't understood why at the time, but years later, he was grateful that Steve had said something. When he came over one afternoon late in October, he told Sebastian to grab his jacket and get in the car with no further explanation. He took the boy to Dick's Drive-In for burgers and then drove to Gas Works Park, where they just sat on the hood of his car while they ate their dinner in silence. Eventually Steve had told Bastian exactly what he thought of his recent attitude. There were no sugarcoated words that day, and Sebastian suddenly had a newfound respect for his uncle. He had had enough of people coddling him and enough of the pity, Uncle Steve's harsh words were a slap in the face, but they snapped him back to reality and allowed him to see that he wasn't the only one who was hurting. The next week he had his first appointment with Dr. Emily Luchi, and received an A on his math test.

Suddenly a flash drew his attention away from his thoughts; he turned from the window to see a giant red bird sitting on the back of his desk chair.

"Uh… where did you come from, bird?" Bastian felt foolish talking to a bird as if it could understand him. The creature trilled a short note, blinked at him, and disappeared in another flash. When the bird was gone and Sebastian had recovered from the shock, he quickly ran out of his room.

"MOM!" He shouted as he stomped down the stairs. "Mom, where are you?"

"I'm in the den, Bastian, there's no need to shout." She was surprised, Sebastian rarely ran in the house. Oh yes, he was a typical rambunctious teen, but he usually managed to refrain from messing about inside.

He nearly fell as he came around the corner and ran into the room. He started babbling about gigantic red birds and fire and strange apparitions in his bedroom. Laura couldn't make sense of what he was trying to tell her. "Bast… Sebastian…." He didn't hear her. "Sebastian Xavier!" She finally shouted. He stopped talking and looked at her. "This will be easier if you take your time and actually explain what happened."

He took a calming breath and explained how a giant red bird appeared from thin air in his room. "I… I think it was a phoenix," he ended uncertainly.

* * *

AN: I know, it's really short... I promise to make the next chapter longer to make up for it. 


	6. side story

Emerald Moments  
AN and side story

AN: Bad news guys, I broke my finger today (June 2nd) at work and have only one hand to type. I'm having surgery next week and will let you know when the next chapter should be up. However, in the meantime (and so I could post this without getting busted) I'm giving you a side story. It really has nothing to do with the main plot, it's just a story from Bastian's childhood.

* * *

It was a beautiful morning and unusually sunny for June in Seattle. The summer solstice was on Monday, which meant today was the annual Fremont Solstice Festival and Parade. Jack and Laura had taken Sebastian to the fair every year since they adopted him. They skipped last year because of Jack's death, so this would be the first year without him. Laura wasn't feeling up to the tradition this year. However, Bastian insisted on attending the parade at least. So she suggested he invite a friend to come with them. 

Laura Carter watched with a heavy heart as her son and his best friend Mike ran from booth to booth. She knew Sebastian was still feeling the loss of his father, she was too, but she also knew that this tradition was something they both needed. She put on a smile as the boys ran up to her.

"Mom, can we get some Elephant Ears before the parade starts?" She could never refuse Bastian when he used those sad puppy eyes.

"Here's a ten, it should be enough. Hurry back, we need to find a spot to watch the parade from." The two boys turned and disappeared into the crowd. A few minutes later Sebastian and Mike returned with their food and two identical grins plastered in their faces. Together they all walked towards the main street.

As the parade started, Laura thought of something. "Mike, have you ever been to the Fremont Fair before?" The boy beside her shook his head. "Oh. Did you tell your parents where we were going today?" Again, the boy shook his head.

Sebastian listened to his mother's questions and giggled. "Just wait, Mikey, the parade's good."

The different floats began to pass the group, but Mike couldn't see what made this parade any better than the others he'd been to. He watched a group of belly dancers that had stopped in front of them. They were good, better than the last group, but suddenly his eye was drawn to a figure riding a bicycle down the parade route. It appeared as if he was wearing an elaborately decorated skin-tight suit, however, as the man got closer, Mike realized it wasn't a suit, but paint.

There was a naked man riding a bike.

Then Mike saw another, and another, then a woman entered his line of sight and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He continued to watch as different men and woman rode past, some painted, others not. Mike was shocked. He had always been taught that being naked in public was wrong, yet there wasn't anyone here preventing these people from riding down the street in all their glory.

Bastian couldn't control his laughter as he saw his friend's reaction to the naked bikers. It was part of the Fremont Fair, and no matter how hard the city tried to stop it every year, they never managed to actually do it.

Laura glanced at her son as she heard his laugh. It would take time, but they would be okay.


	7. Chapter IV

**Emerald Moments**  
Chapter IV  
Disclaimer: Anything you think you've seen before doesn't belong to me 

_Previously in Emerald Moments: He took a calming breath and explained how a giant red bird appeared from thin air in his room. "I… I think it was a phoenix," he ended uncertainly._

* * *

Laura Carter looked at her son. "A phoenix? As in the mythical Egyptian bird that bursts into fire and is reborn from the ashes?"

Sebastian nodded his head. "Yeah, if the burn marks on my desk chair are anything to go by." He shuffled his feet a little and glanced around the small room. It was well furnished in dark colors; deep blues and reds complimented the red hue of the wood furniture. "Should…" he hesitated slightly, "should we ask Dr. Peterson about it?"

"It wouldn't hurt to mention it to him. He might know why it visited you." Laura stood and walked into the hall. "When's your next meeting with Ted?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"Hmm… I'll give him a call so he can look into it before then." Bastian was about to head back upstairs when Laura called to him. "What are your plans for this afternoon?"

"Depends on the weather. If it clears up Mike, TJ, Dave, and I are gonna head to Alki Beach, if it doesn't we're going to Pike Place Market and maybe the International District."

"Alright, let me know and please call if you're going to be out too late." Bastian nodded and climbed the stairs.

* * *

As it turned out, the weather didn't clear, so Sebastian and his buddies hopped on the bus and took off towards downtown Seattle.

They arrived at the familiar market and made a beeline for the Starbucks. Growing up in Seattle gave him an appreciation for coffee, and Bastian made it a tradition to visit the original Starbucks every time he went to Pike Place. He glanced at the sign, it was a comfort to see the original design, the siren as she was meant to be without the editing to make her politically correct.

With their drinks in hand, they started wandering the stalls. Passing the many jewelry vendors, they stopped here and there to look at the different items for sale. Bastian spotted several things he thought would make good gifts and things he might come back and buy later. Dave bought a fresh honeycomb and the four boys stopped to eat it while they watched the tourists. TJ nudged Bastian and pointed out a small boy standing next to the Pike Place Fish stand. He was looking at a particularly hideous fish that no one in their right mind would buy, let alone contemplate eating. The child pulled on his mother's sleeve and asked about the fish. When the boy stepped to get a closer look, the fish suddenly jumped and opened its mouth wide. The child screamed and leaped back to his mother. Sebastian and TJ burst out laughing as the fishmonger behind the stand shot the mother a sheepish look. She glared at him and pulled her son off in a huff.

"Tourists," Bastian and TJ said together. They both remembered their first encounters with the jumping fish, it was something every Seattle kid went through at one point or another.

"Oh, that reminds me," Bastian looked at Mike. "My mom asked me to pick up some salmon for her, don't let me forget, okay?" The other guys stated mocking him, calling him mamma's boy and generally being asses. Bastian scowled and glared at his friends.

"Sure, X, we won't let you forget the salmon," Mike said when he noticed the look on Sebastian's face.

They stood watching the fishmongers toss fish around for a few more minutes, then headed into the lower levels of the market. They visited a few shops, the comic store, the magic shop, Holy Cow Records, and the used book store before heading back to the surface to get Bastian's salmon and head back to the bus tunnel.

* * *

Two days later found Sebastian at Theodore Peterson's office at the University of Washington. He had met the old man almost ten years ago when he started having weird experiences. Laura had ignored the strange happenings until she walked into the room and found seven-year-old Sebastian Xavier floating three feet above the kitchen counter holding the cookie jar. The next day she and Jack asked some discrete questions and were told that Dr. Peterson was someone who could help. They had made an appointment with the history professor, unsure as to how a man with doctorates in history and linguistics would be able to help their floating child.

When they met with Ted for the first time, he listened to the stories of Sebastian's actions, and explained to the worried parents that there was a whole second world out there that they knew nothing about. Dr. Peterson told them he was a wizard and gave Jack and Laura the proof they needed to believe this second world truly existed. They set an appointment to bring in Sebastian the next day. Theodore Peterson had taken a shine to the boy and offered to teach him the ways of the wizarding world.

"So, Dr. Peterson, have any info on my mysterious friend?" Sebastian asked after greeting the older man.

"There are several different explanations for your visitor: first, you're one of the few who is lucky enough to be chosen to bond with a phoenix, second, the bird's name was Fawkes and Albus Dumbledore is looking for you, and third, it wasn't Fawkes, but someone else who has a phoenix familiar is trying to locate you."

Bastian looked confused. "Who's Albus Dumbledore and why would he be looking for me? Or anyone else for that matter?"

"Albus is headmaster at a school in Scotland called Hogwarts. As to why he would be looking for you, that's something I would have to look deeper to find." Dr. Peterson stood. "Well, we can talk about this at length later, should we continue with your lessons?"

"Sounds good," Bastian replied as he also stood. "What're we doing today?"

"Potions, boy, you should know the schedule by now, it hasn't changed in six years." Sebastian looked sheepish and just mumbled something about having a lot on his mind.

The two men made their way to the back of the cluttered office where Dr. Peterson pulled a wand from his sleeve and tapped the wall. A door appeared in front of them and they walked into the hidden room.

The room was moderately well lit and completely ordered, the exact opposite of the chaos of the office they just left. There were bookshelves lining three walls, with the back wall filled with potions ingredients and equipment. The middle of the room was empty except for an outline on the floor shaped like a dueling strip. The floor itself was stone, as were the walls and ceiling. If you looked closely, you could see a faint shimmer in front of the bookshelves, a shield to protect the books in case of explosions and other accidents.

Dr. Peterson pulled a potions book off the shelf and flipped to a marked page. "We're making the Ferox potion, what is it?"

Sebastian thought for a moment. "Ferox, ferocis; courageous, high-spirited, arrogant. In the right amounts this potion will give the user courage, but too much will make them arrogant and violent." He looked at the older man, "Is that right?" In addition to teaching Sebastian about all things wizard, Dr. Peterson made sure he knew Latin, Arabic, and Greek, both ancient and modern.

"Exactly, let's get started." He listed off the equipment and ingredients needed while Bastian pulled them off the shelves. They set up the lab and started brewing.

* * *

Halfway around the world, someone else was working in a different potions lab. He pushed the greasy black hair back from his face as he studied the book in front of him. Headmaster Dumbledore had requested that he make this potion, and that no one know about it. As a master in his chosen field, he had no difficulty knowing exactly what this potion would do. However, Professor Severus Snape could not understand why the aged headmaster would request this particular potion. 


	8. Chapter V

Emerald Moments

Chapter V

Disclaimer: The world is controlled by the hippo living on the ceiling, however he hates me and I'm a broke college student. Anything you recognize, I don't own.

The sound of his footsteps echoed as Albus Dumbledore walked through the empty hallways of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lost in thought, he didn't acknowledge the arrival of Minerva McGonagall, the deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration professor.

They walked a while in silence before she spoke. "What has been troubling you, Albus?" He paused for a moment then beckoned her to follow him.

"I have been walking long enough, come; we'll talk in my office." With that, the aged headmaster offered his arm to Professor McGonagall, and they started towards his office.

When they arrived, Albus poured each a cup of tea from the pot waiting on the desk. The house elves always knew what was needed. He motioned for her to sit, and then moved around to his chair.

"I have been thinking recently about Harry Potter," he started quietly, "about why he did not arrive on the first of September six years ago." There was a pause before he continued. "When we did not receive word from him about his acceptance into Hogwarts, I sent Rubeus Hagrid to make sure he had received his letter."

Minerva looked shocked. "Why didn't you tell me –"

"Please,allow me to continue. I instructed Hagrid to find Harry and help him buy his school supplies. However, when he arrived at the Dursley's home, he discovered they no longer lived there. They had moved, some number of years ago, and had left no forwarding address." He took a sip of his tea and continued with the story. "Hagrid returned and informed me of the move. We attempted to track his location by owl, but it failed. Over the years I have continued to send owls out, in the hope that one might reach him."

Minerva sat quietly, processing the new information. She glanced into the empty teacup she held in her hands before asking the question Albus had been waiting for. "If you believe him to be alive, why have you continued to search in secret? Why not ask for help from the Ministry of Magic?"

"After he failed to appear for school, I asked the Minister for assistance in my search. However, when there wasn't any sign of the boy after several weeks, he insisted that it was a waste of funds to continue. Perhaps I should have asked for more time, but they say hindsight is 20:20."

Minerva waited a moment to see if he would continue before asking her question. "Albus, I know you must think about this at the start of every school year, but it seems that you're thinking about Harry more than you normally do. What makes this year so special?"

The Headmaster reached into his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment. He handed it to Minerva and waited until she had finished reading. "I recently discovered where the Dursley family moved to after we placed young Mr. Potter in their care. When I sent someone to check on the boy, he wasn't there. There was no evidence of him having ever lived in that house." Albus paused to refill his teacup. "I went back this morning to see if I could find him. When I spoke to Vernon Dursley, he quickly grew agitated and refused to answer my questions. Petunia Dursley reacted a little more calmly. She refused to give an exact location, but said she thought Harry was in America."

"America?" Minerva cut into the Headmaster's story. "How can she think he _might_ be in America?"

"I was unable to get any more information from her, so I fear we will have to wait until Mr. Potter can answer our questions. However," Albus looked sharply at the woman across the desk, "I want to make sure this information stays quiet. If we don't have the boy before this story is out, it could cause difficulties." Minerva nodded her head, understanding what he was saying.

* * *

"Mr. Carter, Mr. James, please pay attention." Steven Waltzer was at the end of his rope. Sebastian and Mike had been acting up all period. He thought they might behave better now that school had settled into its rhythm, but today was proving him wrong. "Give me ten minutes, guys, and I'll let you all out early so you can get breakfast before your next class." Four weeks into the school year, Steve knew his seniors had all fallen into a routine of buying breakfast between first and second period. He sighed; these kids would do anything to get a few more minutes sleep in the morning. The end of his lesson didn't take the full ten minutes, so Steve pulled out the daily announcements and sat down on the front of his desk.

"Listen up, you lot, here's the announcements. Sports: there's a cross-country meet tomorrow afternoon at Issaquah, a home football game tonight against Newport, I assume you're all going. Clubs: Math- talk to Schjelderup, Science- see Craft, Spanish has a meeting… yesterday, so if you wanted to go to that I'm afraid you're SOL. There's some stuff none of you care about…. Oh! Here's something: the Homecoming theme is 'The Roaring 20's.' We'll nominate Homecoming court on Monday, so think about it over the weekend." Steve glanced at the clock; five minutes left in the period. "Right, get outta here. If you get caught out of class early, I don't know any of you."

The students packed up and were out the door in a matter of seconds. When the dust settled, Sebastian was standing in front of Steve's desk. "Hey Uncle Steve."

"Yes, Bastian, what can I do for you?"

Bastian thought for a moment before answering. "Can we talk?" Steve began to respond when Sebastian cut him off. "I know we're talking now, I meant can we go for coffee or something and _talk_."

"Oh, you mean _talk_. Why didn't you say so?" Steve checked his schedule, "What class do you have 4th period?"

"I'm aT.A. for Mrs. Larson."

"Alright, I'll talk to her and see if I can borrow you today. Head to class and stop here before going to Larson's room." He reached into a drawer, "I know you didn't eat breakfast, here." Bastian caught the granola bar his uncle launched at his head as he walked out the door.

* * *

Sebastian walked into Mr. Waltzer's classroom just in time to see his uncle shrugging into his leather jacket. "I take it Larson said yes?"

Steve looked up. "Yup, you're mine this period. Drop your books in the bottom left drawer, and we'll head out."

They walked out to Steve's car, and drove to the nearest Starbucks. They ordered their drinks and sat down at a quiet table in the corner.

"So, Bastian, what are we talking about?"

"Have you spoken with Dr. Peterson lately?"

"Hm, several times. Why?" Sebastian asked if he had heard about the phoenix incident. "I did hear about that, but from your mom, not Dr. Peterson. Why are you bringing it up now?"

"I… At my last meeting with him, we spoke more about who could have sent it. He thinks the best possibility is that the phoenix belonged to Albus Dumbledore. Do you know who he is?" Steve indicated that he did. "Well, I'm going to agree with Dr. Peterson on this, because I trust his judgment, but I don't see any reason why Dumbledore would send his phoenix to find me."

Steve thought about what Bastian had told him. "Maybe it has something to do with before you were adopted."

Sebastian gave an indecipherable grunt. "I'm gonna get a refill, you want?" Steve nodded and handed his mug to Bastian. He came back a few minutes later with the coffee. They sat in silence for a minute before Sebastian burst out, "I hate this!"

"Hate what, kiddo?"

"_This_! All unexplainable crap that seems to come from before mom adopted me. I'm sick of it; I just want it to stop!"


	9. Chapter VI

Emerald Moments

Chapter VI

Disclaimer: I'm poor, with no hope of earning any money this summer due to losing a fight with a big ass rock… I hate losing fights with inanimate objects, they tend to gloat… and I don't own Harry Potter

* * *

Wondering who could be calling this early on a Saturday, Sebastian opened the front door. He stepped back in surprise when, instead of a person, he discovered a walking stack of papers and pamphlets standing there.

"No thank you, we filled our recycling quota this week. Why don't you try the family across the street?"

"Funny. Are you going to let me in, or am I leaving this on the steps?"

Bastian laughed as he heard his uncle's voice come from behind the stack. "Sure, c'mon in." He took some of the papers so Steven Waltzer could see. "What is all this anyway?"

The pair walked into the kitchen and set their loads on the counter. "This," Steve spoke as he made a bee-line for the coffee pot, "is the application for your study abroad."

Sebastian's eyes widened in shock. "All this? There has to be over a hundred forms here!"

"Yes, and it's due in less than two months, so we'd best get started."

Bastian sighed and started boiling more water; one pot of coffee wasn't going to be enough.

* * *

"Right! I know this is what you've all been waiting for: Homecoming Court nominations." Steve has no doubt that at least the last ten minutes of his lecture had fallen on deaf ears. He passed out the cards and waited for the students to fill them out. All faculty members had the option to nominate students, but Steve never really felt he knew any students outside his seniors well enough, so his card was always blank except for the senior royalty and the faculty Duke and Duchess. "You're free to go when you're finished. Hand 'em in on your way out."

* * *

That Friday the students gathered in the gym for the Homecoming Assembly. Bastian didn't really care, yeah it was his last one, but he had always found the assembly rather boring.

He half-listened to the ASB officers talk while he worked on Spanish homework. He hardly noticed when they started announcing the freshman royalty. He was trying to remember how to conjugate this irregular verb when Mike nudged him.

"What?" He whispered harshly.

"They're about to call senior royalty. Pay attention."

Bastian sighed. He really needed to finish this before the end of the assembly. He went back to his work and was elbowed in the ribs by Mike again.

"You can do that later."

Bastian glared at his friend, but put the Spanish away. He watched as the first prince and princess were called; a football player and Sophie Somebody-or-other, he had English with her last year.

He leaned over to Mike, "You do realize I don't care about this, right?" Mike didn't even answer him. The second prince and princess were called forward, a drama kid and a band geek. He was zoning out again when Mike stomped on his foot. Sebastian was pulled back to reality and noticed the spotlight was on him.

Mike pushed him up and whispered, "There was a reason for you to listen, you were just named Homecoming King."

Bastian didn't know how to respond so he just stood and made his way to the center of the gym to wait for his queen. He was still in shock, so he didn't hear the name announced and didn't know whom won until the girl was standing beside him. They linked arms and walked towards the students holding their crowns. This was a moment Sebastian never thought he would go through.

Although, later he was glad he asked Jenna Morgan to go with him last week. It wouldn't due for the Homecoming King to go stag.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore looked at the group gathered in front of him. These were the top members of the Order of the Phoenix, and they would be the only people he trusted with this secret. He cleared his throat and called everyone's attention.

"I know you are all wondering why I have called you here this evening. And I know it is late, so I will be brief. After years of searching, I believe I have located Harry Potter."

He paused a moment to allow the cries and shouts to die down before trying to speak again. "Please. All your questions will be answered in due time.

"I have been searching in secret since the day the ministry stopped the official search. There was never any trace until recently. A few weeks ago, I received information about a young wizard living in the United States who could be our young Mr. Potter. I don't know the boy's name or his location exactly, but I do know he is somewhere in Seattle, Washington."

Sirius leapt to his feet. "What are we waiting for? Let's go get him!"

"No Sirius. You will remain here. I have already selected the group to check on the boy." Sirius sat back down and looked as if someone had kicked his puppy. "I know you want to see him, however I am not completely sure this boy is Harry. So we must tread lightly until we are certain." Sirius nodded glumly and Albus continued. "I said I did not know his name or address, but I was about to discover who he has been learning magic from."

He gave them the rest of the details and listed the five people he had planned to send on this mission before dismissing the group. It would not be long before Harry Potter was at Hogwarts.

* * *

At 6:30 on Saturday evening, Sebastian and Mike picked up Jenna and Mike's date, Lisa, from Jenna's house and drove to Palisade's Restaurant for dinner at 7:15. It was clear that they were not the only ones with Homecoming that night, but they didn't see anyone they knew.

After a meal filled with great seafood and pleasant conversation, the group of four was ready to head to the dance.

When they arrived, they signed up for a picture time, and Sebastian found out when he had to be there for Court pictures. They spent the evening dancing and talking.

When it came time for their pictures, Bastian felt he had posed for too many photos already that night. So, when the photographer turned to change his film, Bastian whispered an idea into Jenna's ear. She giggled and nodded. They moved to one of the benches and Sebastian lifted her so she was standing on it. When the photographer turned back to the couple, he found Sebastian holding Jenna piggyback, both of them grinning like fools. He just shook his head and took the picture. At least it was interesting.

As the dance was winding down, Bastian and Jenna connected with a group headed to the U District for an after party. They didn't really care about the party, but the group was going to go past a great coffee shop, so they had agreed to drop them there. Mike and Lisa begged off, saying they had other plans.

Just as they were leaving, Steve Waltzer ran up to the group. "Bastian, wait!"

Sebastian stopped to speak with his uncle. "Hi. I meant to speak with you earlier, but never got the chance. Jenna and I are going to get coffee."

"Sorry, kiddo. I think coffee will have to wait."

Bastian was starting to get worried. "Uncle Steve, what are you talking about?" A memory flashed through his mind. "It's not mom…" He couldn't even finish the thought.

"Oh, god no! I just can't discuss it here."

Sebastian caught on and turned to Jenna, who was watching curiously. "I'm sorry, something's come up. Can we postpone our coffee plans?"

"Of course! Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, just a small family emergency. Are you going to go to the party, or can we give you a lift home?"

Jenna said she would go to the party and asked that he call her tomorrow to make sure everything was okay. Sebastian nodded his head, kissed her on the cheek, and ran to Steve's car.

Once both doors were shut, Bastian turned to his uncle. "So what's really happening?

"Dr. Peterson was kidnapped."


	10. Chapter VII

Emerald Moments  
Chapter VII  
Disclaimer: I don't own it, if you haven't figured that out by now, perhaps you should have a nice chat with the blue hippo who is currently living on my ceiling.

* * *

_Previously in Emerald Moments:  
Once both doors were shut, Bastian turned to his uncle. "So what's really happening?  
"Dr. Peterson was kidnapped."_

Sebastian Xavier was unable to think clearly for several minutes, but when his mental faculties were all working again he started firing questions at Steven Waltzer.

"Kidnapped! What do you mean kidnapped? Was there evidence of a fight? Do we know who could have taken him? What are we doing to get him back?"

When Bastian had to pause to get a quick breath, Steve cut off his next set of questions. "Hold on there, kiddo. We don't know much of anything at the moment."

"Then let's go look! I'm sure there is something useful in his office."

"Wait a minute. We can't risk getting involved in any possible police investigation, so we can't go to his office until Monday night at the earliest." Sebastian slumped down in his seat, a gloomy expression crossing his face. Steve glanced at him; he knew Sebastian would want to do everything in his power to get Dr. Peterson back. "Don't worry, we'll find him."

When they arrived home, Laura met them at the door. "I called Dr. Luchi; she'll be here in five minutes." Bastian acknowledged her with a nod and walked quietly into the house. Laura turned to her brother. "How's he holding up?"

"He was speechless at first, then wouldn't stop asking questions; he's sulking now. He wanted to check out Ted's office tonight, but we can't go until at least Monday night. We have to make sure there's no trace of us mixed in with the evidence the cops might find."

As they were talking, the pair walked into the kitchen and started boiling some water; they knew a lot of coffee would be needed in the next few hours. Just as the kettle started to whine, the headlights of Dr. Luchi's car could be seen through the window.

* * *

Several hours later, Emily Luchi left the Carter house in a daze. She had not known what to expect when she arrived, all she knew was that there was a family emergency and Laura thought Sebastian would need someone with whom he could speak.

She had been ushered into the house, shown to the living room, and handed a cup of hot coffee. Before she could ask what was going on, Steve had placed her a manila folder in her hands.

"We shouldn't be showing this to you. Hell, _I_ shouldn't even know about this." Emily shot him a questioning look. "Just read what's in the folder before you ask any questions. I promise they'll all be answered in due time." With that, he had walked out of the room again.

Not without some small amount of trepidation, Dr. Luchi flipped the folder open and started to read. With each additional page, Emily had more and more questions. _Magic? Wizards? Spells and Potions? Could this all be true? Do I even know this kid at all?_

When she finished the last page, she looked up to find Laura and Steve sitting on the opposite side of the coffee table. They were just sitting silently, waiting for her to start asking questions.

"What…" She thought a moment and started again. "If I'm to believe what's contained in this folder, then magic is real and there is a whole society out there that the majority of the world doesn't know about. Right?"

Laura glanced at Steve quickly. "That about sums it up. You seem to be taking this rather well."

Emily let out a short laugh. "I think it just hasn't fully sunk in yet." The trio spent the next half hour discussing the existence of the Wizarding World and magic.

"So, you have any more questions?"

"I think I'm good for now. But I am still curious as to why you called me over here. It couldn't have been just to tell me about Sebastian's hidden magical abilities."

Laura went to the stairs and called Bastian down to join them. When he entered the living room, the four settled themselves around the coffee table and began their discussion.

"I take it they told you about the Wizarding World?" Bastian asked Dr. Luchi. When she nodded, he pressed further. "Did they tell you about Dr. Peterson?"

"The name was briefly mentioned, and it appeared several times in the papers in the folder, but I'm still not sure who he is."

"Theodore Peterson is my teacher. I've been learning from him since I was seven. Essentially, I'm his apprentice." At her questioning glance, he explained further. "It started out as a typical magic education: transfiguration, charms, potions, et cetera. In addition to that, Dr. Peterson also began teaching me a variety of different languages. We were due to begin my apprenticeship to him next month." Sebastian took a deep breath before continuing. "The reason mom called you here tonight, I believe, is because Dr. Peterson was kidnapped earlier this evening." A glance at his mother confirmed his assessment.

After processing the close relationship between Sebastian Carter and Theodore Peterson, Emily immediately went into doctor mode. Steve and Laura quietly left the room as she and Bastian started talking.

* * *

As Sebastian drove to school Monday morning, he knew there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that he would be able to concentrate in his classes. They had spent all of Sunday planning the break-in to Dr. Peterson's office and discussing who could have kidnapped him; they didn't have many leads.

When his last class finally ended, Bastian headed straight for his uncle's classroom. He arrived just as Steve was locking the door.

"You ready for this, kiddo?"

Bastian sent his uncle a look that said how foolish his question had been. "Do you really have to ask?"

"It doesn't hurt to check one last time."

* * *

Later that night, after complete darkness had fallen, two shadowy figures crept cautiously around the side of the building where Dr. Peterson's office was located. They paused a moment by a window, then moved on to the next one. If one were watching closely, they would have seen the smaller figure pull something from his sleeve and pour it on the window ledge. A few moments and a soft blue glow later, the lock on the window clicked open. Once the window was open enough, the second figure gave his smaller partner a boost, then he quickly pulled himself up and followed through the window.

The window Sebastian and Steve had chosen put them right outside the door to Dr. Peterson's office. Bastian pulled a key from his pocket, grateful the older man had given him his spare office key so he could come and practice; it was too bad this key did not work on the front door to the building.

Once inside the office, Bastian went directly to the back. He pulled his wand from its holster and tapped it against the wall; the door appeared and both men entered the room.

"Wow. This is amazing," Steve remarked quietly as he took in the hidden room.

"Uncle Steve, c'mon, we need to focus here."

"Right," he looked around the room. "This is your domain; point me in a likely direction." Bastian gestured vaguely to a section of shelves against the left wall; he was already digging through what appeared to be a filing cabinet. "What exactly are we looking for?"

"I'm not sure, but I have this feeling…" Bastian trailed off as he looked more closely at one piece of paper. He shook his head and set it in the rapidly growing stack of irrelevant papers. "He was looking into the phoenix incident. I get the feeling that the two events are somehow connected."

"Had he told you about anything he had found?"

"Not really. He mentioned a few people when I first told him about the feathery ball of flames, but he didn't tell me anything about his search after that. Oh, if you come across anything with the name Albus Dumbledore or Hogwarts on it, keep it."

The two men spent several hours combing the room for anything that might give them a clue to the kidnapper's identity. When every book had been opened and every drawer searched, they put all their findings into a box Sebastian conjured. He then shrunk the box and put it in his pocket. As they were leaving, Bastian quickly went though Dr. Peterson's desk in his office, however, he didn't find anything useful.

Bastian locked the office door and followed Steve out the window. He pulled the window shut and pulled a potion from his pocket. He poured it on the window frame, mimicking his earlier actions, and smiled when it glowed red and the lock clicked shut again.

* * *

Laura, Sebastian, and Steve spent the next several days examining everything they found at the office. From the stuff they were able to compile lists of names and places, links between people and groups were formed, and they began to make some headway on who might have kidnapped Dr. Peterson.

Rubbing his tired eyes, Bastian stood up to stretch and get something to eat; he had been sorting out pieces of information for four straight hours.

"Hey, sweetie. Making any progress?" Laura asked her son when he entered the kitchen.

"Some. I've managed to sort out his list of suspects from his contacts. There are several groups that are the front-runners in the 'Who Kidnapped Theodore Peterson' race; two in the U.S. and three in Europe. Well, they're all actually in the UK." He flopped down into a chair at the breakfast counter. "The American groups seem most likely, but I want to get in touch with a few of Dr. Peterson's contacts before we assume anything."

After eating his snack, Sebastian sat down to write letters to Dr. Peterson's contacts in the UK. He planned on visiting the American contacts in person.

_To whom it may concern,_

_Please read this letter all the way through and be warned that it will destroy itself five minutes after you finish reading it._

_My last name is Carter; I was due to begin an apprenticeship with Dr. Theodore Peterson next month. The reasons for this correspondence are simple, but very important. Last week, on October 17th, Dr. Peterson was kidnapped. From information found in his office, I have been able to narrow the suspects down to five different groups. Dr. Peterson had basic info for all the groups in question, but I need to be able to narrow the list even further. Three of the groups are centered in the UK, and I would appreciate any additional information about them that you might be able to give me. The three groups are the Dawn Breakers, the Order of the Phoenix, and les Mangeurs de la Mort. In addition to these groups, I would also appreciate any information you can dig up on Albus Dumbledore._

_Please help me find Dr. Peterson. _

_I await your response._

_S. Carter_

The following weekend Sebastian apparated around the country visiting Dr. Peterson's contacts. He was able to meet with six of the eleven people on the list, and all six said they would send him any information they could find on the American suspects. The next morning there were several owls sitting in the kitchen, responses from both the American and European contacts.

As he started add the new information to what they already had found, Bastian saw that the American groups were becoming less likely. While sorting the data on the Order of the Phoenix and les Mangeurs de la Mort, Sebastian continued to come across references to the Dark Lord. He remembered Dr. Peterson telling him a little about the most recent attempt to take control of the Wizarding World. It ended a year or so after he must have been born; the usurper had been beaten by a mere child. Pathetic. From the different references to the Dark Lord and other things during the time of the war, Sebastian assumed the two groups had been on opposing sides. Because two of the groups seemed to be so active in the last war, Sebastian knew he needed to delve deeper into the history of that particular conflict. He knew the basics, but that would not be enough.

* * *

AN: peeks from around the corner don't hurt me! I know it's been two months, I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to take this long getting the next chapter out, but August was completly packed with stuff and September brought the return to classes, so I haven't had much time lately. But, as you can see, this chapter is posted (dur) and it's longer than any of the previous ones! It was actually supposed to be a little longer, but I was having difficulty with the next scene, so I cut it here and will put it at the beginning of the next chapter. I'll try not to take as long getting it out. 


	11. Chapter VIII

Emerald Moments  
Chapter VIII

Disclaimer: Rhysel Ash poor college student, she doesn't own Harry Potter or anything that resembles it

Sebastian sat in the middle of the hidden room in Dr. Peterson's office surrounded by piles of books. He had been searching through the thick history tomes all night. He closed the text in his lap with a sigh and sneezed as a cloud of dust assaulted him from the pages. After reading the histories of Goblins, Vampires, and Werewolves, Bastian finally found the information on the war against the latest dark lord.

Rolling his stiff shoulders, Sebastian glanced at his watch; he had half and hour to get to school. As he didn't have time to go home, a quick spell took care of his dirty clothes and lack of shower. He let himself into the main office and made his way through the clutter to the door. Before he opened it, however, he cast a transparency spell to see who might be out in the hallway. Sebastian waited for the hall to be mostly empty before he cancelled the spell and stepped through. Locking the door, he made his way out to the parking lot to where his bike was parked.

* * *

"Mr. Carter, please wait a moment." Mr. Waltzer had listened to his sister worry about her son for an hour this morning after he failed to return home the night before. When Bastian had walked into his classroom, Steve had felt a weight lift from his heart. Where Sebastian had been could wait, it was enough for now to know the boy was safe. "You seemed tired in class today, long night?"

Sebastian sighed and fell into a chair. "Yeah, I was trying to find info on the last dark lord in England. I had to go through Goblins, Vampires, and Werewolves before I found it."

"I see. Did you let your mother know you were going on this little outing?"

"Uh… oops?"

"And did you remember to call this morning to assure her everything was okay so when she went to wake you and found you missing she wouldn't worry?"

"Oh shit." Sebastian let his head fall to the desk. "How worried is she?"

"She ranted at me for an hour before I had to leave, and she was still talking when I drove away."

"I should call her."

"Yes, you should, but wait until lunch; you don't have time for the lecture you're going to receive before your next class. I'll call and let her know you're at school."

"Thanks Uncle Steve." Bastian stood and grabbed his book bag from the floor. "Could you also let her know I'll call at lunch?"

"Sure thing, kiddo, get to your next class."

* * *

When he opened his eyes, all he could see was different shades of darkness. He pulled himself to his knees and could feel stone beneath his hands. The room was cool and damp; it smelled musty, as if it hadn't been aired out in years. Theodore crawled around until he found a wall. He sat there, leaning against the rough stone, trying to figure out where he was and how he could have gotten there.

* * *

"So we're doing this, then?" Steve and Sebastian had spent the last two hours discussing the current situation. It had been a week since Dr. Peterson had disappeared, and they had collected all the information they could from home. 

"It's the only way we can find Dr. Peterson." Sebastian replied, looking at his uncle.

"You do know your mom isn't going to agree with is easily." Bastian got a worried look in his eyes, but didn't reply. Steve patted him on the shoulder. "We'll find a way." He stood and made his way out of the room; he paused at the door. "You finish packing; I'll go talk to Laura about the trip."

* * *

"No! Absolutely not!" Laura Carter wasn't going to hear of her only son traveling halfway across the world to chase kidnappers. 

"Laura, you have to understand why this has to happen." Steve watched his sister pace around the kitchen. He knew she would be worried, but this had to be done.

"Why can't you leave this to the professionals?" She asked in a small voice; she sounded almost petulant.

"Because we don't know which side took him. If we went to the wrong group for help, things could get worse. You know Bastian won't sit around and do nothing."

Laura sat silently for a moment, thinking over what her younger brother had told her. "Alright, he can go. On one condition…," Steve waited for the bomb to drop, "I'm coming also."

"I figured you might say that. Our flight leaves in four hours. Go pack for wet, I hear it rains there a lot this time of year." He said sarcastically. As Laura left the room, Steve thought he heard her grumbling about how Dr. Peterson wasn't considerate enough to be kidnapped by people from Jamaica.

An hour later found Sebastian, Laura, and Steve on their way to Sea-Tac International Airport. They were on the next flight to London. Steve and Laura had each taken a sabbatical from work and Bastian got copies of his teachers' lesson plans up to the end of the semester. Mike James was going to check on their houses while they were gone, and they had the utilities cancelled; it was possible they could be gone for several months.

Going though security, Sebastian's bag was searched because wand appeared suspicious on the x-ray machine. He explained that it was a prop for a play and couldn't be checked, as it was too fragile. The security guard gave him a weird look, but didn't question it further and allowed him to keep it. They made their way to the gate and waited until for their boarding time. Eventually their flight was called, and they boarded the plane and settled in for the thirteen-hour flight.

Sebastian slept for most of the flight, but woke up with about two hours left. He spent those two hours thinking and planning where they would go when they landed. He had the addresses of Dr. Peterson's, and now his own, contacts in the UK; some were wizards, some not. Bastian figured he should contact one of the muggles first so they could get their bearings before jumping into the wizarding world.

When Steve woke up, he found Sebastian flipping though an address book.

"What're you lo—" a yawn cut off his question. "Excuse me. Looking for?"

"Huh? Oh, these are the contacts Dr. Peterson had in the UK. I'm just figuring out which one we should contact first."

"When I looked up flight info, I also booked three nights at a small hotel in London."

"Excellent, that solves one problem. I was thinking we should get in touch with a few of the muggles before we start on the wizarding ones; in order to get situated in London."

"Sounds like a plan." Steve looked around for a flight attendant but didn't see one. "Do you know how much longer until we land?"

"An hour, I think. We should be getting breakfast soon."

* * *

After they landed they made their way through customs. There were no problems, and they soon found themselves on checked into the hotel. 

That evening, after sleeping most of the day, Sebastian and Steven went to meet one of the contacts. This was their last check to make sure Theodore Peterson wasn't being held in the muggle world.

They entered the restaurant and soon spotted their guy. He was an older man, heavy-set but not grossly so, with dark thinning hair. Bastian walked up to him while Steve stayed near the main door, he stopped just behind his chair.

"I hear you know a lot about history."

"A bit, but there's someone who knows more." The man responded without turning around.

"Could you tell me where to find this man?"

"Join me, we'll talk some." Bastian waved Steve over and the two sat down at the table. "I have searched more since the letter I sent. Ted is not in this world; all the evidence I've found points to his kidnappers being wizards."

"That's what we assumed, but we had to be sure." The three men spent the next while talking about the current goings on in muggle Britain.

* * *

AN: I'm not terribly happy with this chapter, but I figured as a birthday present to me, I'd post it for you. I might go back and rework it before I do the next chapter, but I'm not sure yet. 


	12. Chapter IX

Emerald Moments  
Chapter IX

Disclaimer: I'm broke, don't own it, don't sue me.

* * *

It was nearing sunset on Sebastian's fourth day in London. He, Steven and Laura had spent the last three days getting to know the area. They now could get back to their hotel or the airport from anywhere in the city, had memorized the Underground routes, and could locate at least two police stations in every part of the city. Tomorrow they were headed to Diagon Alley; it was time to continue their search for Dr. Peterson. Earlier that afternoon they had walked past the Leaky Cauldron, so they didn't go in completely blind. 

Bastian sat on the roof of the hotel watching the sky change colors as the sun fell closer to the horizon. Dawn and Twilight were his favorite times of day, they always had been. Even in the bustling city, everything seemed so peaceful; there was a tranquility present that took the harsh edge off the realities of the world. As the sun dipped below the city's skyline, Bastian sighed and pulled himself to his feet. He knew tomorrow would be difficult; until now Steve had been able to help, but from here on out, Bastian would basically be on his own in the wizarding world. Taking one last glance at the fading daylight, the boy made his way to the door and went inside; it was time to find his mentor.

* * *

The tavern was dark and smelled strongly of pipe tobacco. As Bastian and Steve entered conversations quieted, but the noise level rose again as the bar patrons realized the newcomers were not the people for whom they were waiting. Bastian made his way to the counter; he waved at the bartender to get the older man's attention. 

"What can I get for you?"

"We're visiting from America; could you tell us how to get into Diagon Alley?"

"Ach, sure. Head through to the back alley," he pointed to a door. "Then tap the bricks: three up, two across."

"Three up, two across. Thanks. We'll be back later for a drink." The bartender nodded and moved down the counter to the next customer.

The two men made their way out the back door. Bastian pulled his wand from his arm holster and tapped the bricks as instructed. Steve had seen magic before, but he couldn't help watching in awe as the bricks rearranged themselves to provide a portal to Diagon Alley.

As they stepped into the Alley, Sebastian was struck by how behind the times the British wizarding world seemed to be. He knew they were way behind when it came to technology, but he hadn't been expecting to be transported into the middle ages. While American wizards still used robes for ceremonial occasions, few people actually wore them on a day-to-day basis. Here, however, Bastian found himself out of place in his khakis, hoodie, and sneakers. Looking around, he was grateful he had worn his black knit watch cap that did an admirable job of covering his blue and silver hair; he had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't have gone over too well here.

Steve looked around in astonishment. He understood the magical and mundane worlds were different, but her had never expected his world to be so altered from that of his nephew.

"Is… is this normal?" Steve quietly asked the younger man.

"Not in America. I've never seen so many people in robes outside special occasions. It must be the custom here though." Bastian glanced in scorn at a group of young men who were slightly older than he was himself. "I'll wear a robe when custom dictates, but you'll never catch me in those damned dresses on a regular day." His uncle just laughed.

"C'mon, Butch. Where are we going first?"

Sebastian glared at Steve before mumbling something about the bank and stalking off down the Alley. They soon spotted the gleaming white building labeled: "Gringots Bank." Sebastian stopped to read the inscription on the pillar outside.

"_Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits of sin and greed.  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors,  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there." (1)  
_

Steve snorted and shook his head. "Why don't they just put 'Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,'?" (2)

"Maybe they're afraid they'll scare away the customers?" Bastian and Steve burst out laughing, not caring too much about the looks they were receiving from passers-by. When they again had control, Sebastian pulled the giant door open and they entered the bank.

Bastian walked up to the nearest teller and just managed to control his shock at coming face-to-face with a goblin. He frantically searched his memories for his lessons on proper etiquette when dealing with this proud race.

"Well met, Master Hunter." Although his greeting was accompanied with a small nod, he never broke eye contact. He got nervous when the goblin did not respond right away, but breathed a small sigh of relief when the goblin answered him.

"Well met, Mage Apprentice." The goblin didn't nod, but if Sebastian recalled correctly, it wasn't proper for a master to show that level of respect to an apprentice.

"I need to open an account and transfer American muggle money into both British pounds and the local wizarding currency. Can I do all that here?"

"Indeed. We'll get the process for opening an account started, then deal with the money while we wait for that to finish." The teller came out from behind the desk. "Follow me please." Bastian and Steve followed the smaller being to a second desk where he pulled out a piece of parchment and a small jewel-covered ceremonial dagger. He asked Sebastian to hold his wand hand over the parchment. As Bastian was ambidextrous, he just stuck out his right hand. The goblin took the dagger and made a small cut on Bastian's palm. After letting five drops of blood fall on the parchment, he handed Sebastian a handkerchief and led him back to the other desk.

"How much were you planning to change today?"

"$5000 total, $3000 into wizarding money, $2000 into British pounds."

"There's a 15 Gallon fee on transactions that size, is that alright?" Bastian had no idea if that was fair or not, but he wasn't going to argue with goblins over money. He nodded and handed the money to the creature. A few minutes later, the goblin handed him a wallet and a moneybag.

"The wallet contains the muggle money, totaling 1025 pounds. The wizarding money is in the bag, it contains 7330 Gallons; I took 15 Gallons out for the fee. Wizarding currency has three main coins: Gallons, Sickles, the silver ones, and Knuts, the bronze coins. There are 17 Sickles to a Gallon and 29 Knuts to a Sickle."

As they were finishing the transaction, a second goblin came and stood next to their teller. The two bank employees held a quiet conversation before turning back to the humans.

"It appears there were some complications with your account creation, if you would go with Ragshaw, everything will be straightened out."

"Thank you for your help, Master Hunter." Bastian turned to Ragshaw, "Well met, Master Hunter."

"Well met, Mage Apprentice. Please follow me."

Ragshaw led them down a marble corridor to a small room with an oak table. He indicated to the chairs and sat down opposite the two increasingly confused men.

"As Gatenack said, there were some complications in creating your new account."

"It's not because I'm not 18, is it? Because Uncle Steve is allowed to sign as my guardian."

"No, your age has nothing to do with it. And even if it did, the age of majority is 17 here." Sebastian and Steve looked at each other; this would make things easier.

"The problem is you already have an account here, several in fact."

"What?! How's that possible? I've never been here before."

"Indeed, you have not, or you would have known about this. These accounts were left to you by your parents when they died."

"My… my parents?" Bastian was unable to say anything else.

"Wait a second. Are you saying you know who Sebastian's birth parents are?" Steven was in just as much shock as his nephew. After 13 years of wondering where the kid came from, was it really as simple as dropping some blood on a piece of parchment? That was unbelievable.

"I see there are some things you need to know before we continue this." Ragshaw riffled through the stack of papers in front of him. Finally, the goblin pulled out a single piece of paper and handed it to Sebastian. He read it and passed it to Steve without saying a word.

"What is i—oh." Steve read the paper carefully. Several minutes later, he was still trying to grasp the fact that they finally had this information in their possession.

_**Certificate of Birth**  
Name of Child: Potter, Harold James  
Mother: Potter, Lillian Evans; deceased  
Father: Potter, James Alexander; deceased_

_Date of Birth: 31/07/1980  
Time: 0637  
Weight: 3.26 kg  
Eyes: Green  
Hair: Black_

_Adopted Name of Child: Carter, Sebastian Xavier  
Adopted Mother: Carter, Laura Waltzer  
Adopted Father: Carter, Jackson; deceased_

"So… so my parents didn't abandon me; they were killed by Voldemort? Which would make me the Boy-Who-Lived? 'What a twist.'" Bastian started laughing, Steve looked at him as if he were crazy.

"You alright there kiddo?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's just really funny that I did all this research on that 'Harry Potter' kid, and it turns out it was me all along." He started laughing again. A few minutes later, Bastian finished laughing and was ready to continue. "Okay. So _I'm_ Harry Potter. What else do we need to talk about, Ragshaw?"

"Your late parents' will." The goblin pulled out a folder and flipped it open. "Their will stipulated that, in the event of their deaths, you were to be placed into the care of Mr. Sirius Black or, if something should happen to him, Mrs. Alice Longbottom. That obviously was possible as Mr. Black was sent to Azkaban and Mrs. Longbottom was checked into St. Mungo's the day after your parents died.

"In regards to your inheritance, the exact details are in the will, if you care to read them, but it basically says you own a number of properties across Europe and several in America and you now have three vaults, totaling several billion gallons, not to mention investments in several major companies, both magical and mundane."

Bastian and Steve couldn't believe what they were hearing. In the last half hour, they discovered Sebastian's birth family and found out he was extremely wealthy.

"We need to talk to mom about this before we do anything else today." Bastian turned to Ragshaw, "Thank you for your help today, Master Hunter. If I have any further questions, may I contact you?"

"Indeed, Mage Apprentice. I am the Potter accounts manager, so any questions you have regarding your holdings will be directed to me."

Bastian rose and gave the goblin a slight bow before following his uncle from the room.

* * *

1 - _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone  
_ 2 - Dante's _Inferno_, the last line of the inscription written on the gates of hell. 

AN: Hey, here's the next chapter! I know I promised some of you this would be out over the weekend, but I went home for Thanksgiving and left my copy of _The Philosopher's Stone_ at school, and I needed some information from it.


	13. Chapter X

Emerald Moments  
Chapter X

Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't sue, it will cost you far more than you would get in return

* * *

Steven Waltzer called his sister as soon as he and Sebastian had left Diagon Alley. 

"Lau? Hey, we're coming back to the hotel now." There was a slight pause before he quickly continued. "No, nothing's wrong, just some – new—information which has been brought to our attention." Steve listened for a moment. "Yeah, we'll be back in about 20 minutes… okay, see you there." He turned to his nephew to relay what Laura had said.

"We're going to meet your mom at the café down the street from the hotel." When Bastian did not respond, Steven glanced at him. "How're you holding up, kiddo?"

Sebastian took a breath before answering, "It's all just a shock, you know? I mean, I knew I was adopted, and I knew that there were some things in my past which would be difficult to explain… but I never really imagined that there was even the slightest possibility that _I_ could be the Boy-Who-Lived." The young man shook his head. "Who could have ever predicted that the little kid dubbed 'Zev' that Mom met at the orphanage would turn out to be the savior of the wizarding world?"

As he had been researching the rise of the last dark lord, Bastian had, of course, come across pictures of the Potters. He knew who they were and what they looked like, understood their importance and why they died. However, he couldn't make the connection between the events of the Potters' deaths and his adoption by Laura and Jackson Carter. How on earth did he end up in Seattle? Who left him there? It wasn't helping him any that he couldn't remember anything before the police had found him and taken him to the orphanage. Bastian figured his nightmares had something to do with it, but they weren't of any help. He couldn't remember anything more than the noise. _At least now I know where that stupid lightning bolt scar came from._ Bastian's thoughts focused onto the trademark scar that was supposed to be on his forehead.

"You know, it's kinda a good thing that we had my scar removed." Sebastian's sudden words startled Steve. They had been walking in silence for the last ten minutes.

"Hm? How so?"

"Well, if I still had that stupid scar, there would be no way for me to continue living my normal life as Sebastian Carter; I would have to become Harry Potter."

"That makes sense. But the downside is that if you're ever figured out, then it won't matter if you have the scar or not, people will recognize you, especially if you keep dying your hair. I noticed that dyed hair seems a tad out of place in the wizarding world." Sebastian snorted. His hair was out of place most everywhere, why would the wizarding world be any different.

"The only place I don't get funny looks for my hair is up on Broadway, and even there some people find the black/blue/silver hair thing a little strange." He thought for a moment before continuing. "I suppose it could be worse; I could have a blue and silver Mohawk or something."

The two men were coming up to the café where they were going to meet Laura. Steve waved as he spotted her standing next to the door.

"Hey Sis, been waiting long?" He shot her a cheeky grin and laughed when she gave an exasperated sigh.

"You know damn well that I've been standing here since you called me." Laura looked at her son. "Is everything okay?"

Sebastian gave her a brief hug in greeting as he responded. "Yeah, everything's fine, we just had an interesting time at the bank. I'll tell you about it inside."

The trio made their way into the café and were quickly shown to a table by the seating hostess. After they placed their orders, Bastian began to explain what had happened at the bank.

* * *

When the trio had finished their meal, Sebastian pulled a letter from his pocket. "I've got an address for someone who might be able to shed some light on who has Doc Peterson. He's a wizard, so I've got to head back to the Alley. Do either of you wish to come?" 

Laura hesitated a moment, she did not feel comfortable letting her baby run around London by himself, but she also knew that he would probably be able to get more information without her and Steve hanging around.

"No," she glanced at her brother, hoping he would get the message. "I think we'll stick around on this side of the wall this afternoon and look into more permanent housing. Who knows how long we'll be here."

Bastian nodded, he understood that she was allowing him to do this himself without any interference. "Alright, I'm off, then. I'll give you a call after the meeting and let you know what, if any, information he can give." With that, he rose from the table and kissed Laura on the cheek. "Keep me posted on the housing situation. I should be back in a few hours."

Laura and Steve watched the young man walk off, knowing there was nothing they could do to help him but wishing they might possibly relieve him of some of the burden on his shoulders. This 17-year-old boy who carried the weight of the world in his backpack, so independent and self-assured, was completely alone in his task.

* * *

Before Sebastian went back to Diagon Alley, he returned to the hotel to gather some of the things he would need for the meeting. Now that he knew wizards in the UK wore robes on a daily basis, he figured dressing in his normal muggle clothing would be drawing unnecessary attention to himself, and right now he needed to fly under the radar. Throwing a basic black robe into his knapsack, he also pulled out a quidditch cap to cover his hair and the butterfly knife Steve had bought him when he turned 15 but his mother still did not know he had. 

When he returned to the Leaky Cauldron, he ducked into the restroom and pulled on the robe and cap before going out the back door and tapping the bricks to let him into the Alley. The wall rearranged itself to open the doorway and Bastian ducked into the busting crowds.

As he walked down the cobbled street, Sebastian noticed how differently he was being treated from his first trip to the Alley. When he and Steve had stepped through the gate dressed in their muggle clothing, they had been met with distrust and suspicion. It was not blatant, but as Bastian had been trained to observe his surroundings, it was obvious that people had been wary of the pair. This time, however, other than the cursory glance to see which quidditch team his cap featured, he was mostly ignored.

Bastian understood the tension that saturated British Wizarding society, but it was still hard for him to completely understand, having come from a place where wizards lived and coexisted with muggles on a daily basis and only used magic to augment certain aspects of life. Sure, there were still towns sprinkled throughout the States and Canada that were completely wizard, and Bastian always found them charming, but for the most part there was no major separation between wizards and muggles in North America. However, it appeared that wizards in the UK had not made the same adjustments that those in the US had, and therefore were still completely separated from the muggles.

It was because of this separation that these stupid _Dark Lords_ continued to pop up and try to _purify_ the world. Sebastian rolled his eyes at the thought. _Purify the world. Yeah, sure, that'll work. Until there is no more fresh blood entering the gene pool and the inbreeding causes all future generations to have fewer magical children and more squibs until there are no magical children at all. Although, in some cases that wouldn't be such a bad thing._ This was not anything new; people had been trying to create the "Master Race" since they first understood the difference between "them and us." _Didn't they get the memo when Hitler tried this? Genocide is a bad idea. Fresh blood is needed in order to keep a society healthy; dur, just look at what selective breeding has done to dogs: disease, mental inferiority, bad personality traits, the list goes on and on. Fools._ Bastian pulled himself away from those thoughts, it wouldn't do to get lost in them, there was nothing he could really change at the moment.

As he passed by the ice cream parlor the owner smiled and Bastian couldn't help but grin in return, the man looked like a cheerful guy. A second later, however, his grin vanished. In the reflection of the shop window, Sebastian's eyes were drawn to the one figure that did not quite fit. Nothing specific would have caught his attention, but it seemed as if he was trying just a little too hard to make sure he blended in with the crowd. Because he still was getting to know the lay of the land, so to speak, Bastian wasn't eager for a confrontation. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, the guy could just be a little strange, so he ducked into the next store a teenager might willingly enter.

Taking a look around the shop, Sebastian realized he had entered the apothecary. _Ugh, what's with the rancid smell? I know for a fact there are ways to prevent the ingredient odors from lingering. Actually, it's safer to make sure they don't. I wonder who's running the shop and why they're risking their business like this._ He wasn't left to his thoughts for very long, however, when a figure in black swooped in from the alley and pushed him roughly out of his path without so much as a "pardon me."

"Asshole," Sebastian muttered under his breath as he straightened his robes. He still hated wearing them, but he figured it would be better than sticking out like a sore thumb. Glancing out the window, Bastian noticed the shady guy was still lingering, so he picked up a basket and started to browse the shelves of potion ingredients.

During his perusal of the shop, Bastian had several more encounters with the Bat, as he named him. He had sallow skin and limp, greasy black hair which fell almost to his shoulders. Bat didn't look at Sebastian for more than a cursory glance, but it was enough for the boy to get a glimpse of the man's permanent scowl. Bastian knew enough about the effects of potion brewing that he figured Bat had a job with potions somewhere, which meant he probably had earned his Master's classification, add that to the scowl and the man's generally unhappy attitude, it was clear he wasn't able to spend as much time as he would like on his own experiments, which left only a few options for Bat's actual job. He could either be a governmental toady, still working off the debt to the master he apprenticed under, or a teacher. Bat was way too arrogant to be a toady and, from what Bastian saw, had the money to buy the best ingredients so had probably paid off his debt, that left teacher. Sebastian knew from experience there were few things worse than trying to teach potions to people who didn't know or didn't care to know about all the subtleties that came with brewing. The young man wondered briefly if Bat worked at Dumbledore's school, but then realized it didn't really matter. When he eventually got around to meeting with the Old Man, his employees would be of little consequence.

After pulling several ingredients he was low in off the shelves, Bastian headed to the front to pay. He had spent enough time in the shop to know that the shady guy outside was indeed following him. There was nothing he could do about a tail, he didn't know the city well enough yet; that would be his next project after this meeting. As he exited the apothecary, the youth kept an eye on his stalker, sure enough, the guy hopped right back on his tail. Quickly enough Sebastian reached the building where his contact was meeting him, however, he walked passed it and instead walked into the alley just after it. Before the stalker reached the alley, Bastian had sprinted around to the back of the building and escaped around the corner before he was spotted. He continued to run around the building until he was almost at the front again, then slowed his steps and reentered the main street. With one last glance around to make sure the guy hadn't caught up, Sebastian pulled the door open and slipped quickly inside.

* * *

The first thing that hit Sebastian was the atmosphere. From the outside it appeared to be an average run-of-the-mill tavern, but the inside told a much different story. While the Leaky Cauldron had smelled of pipe tobacco, this place reeked of cheap alcohol, cigarettes, sweat, and several not so legal substances. The furniture was shabby and the walls had clearly been through several major fights; Bastian didn't even want to think about why the floor was slightly sticky. _Ironic really, how a place like this sits right in the middle of their _respectable_ Diagon Alley._ Recalling what the message had said, he wandered aimlessly to the bar and ordered a spiced ale, not as strong as fire-whisky but strong enough to not earn a second thought in a place like this. After he had finished about half his drink, Bastian waved the barkeep over and placed three galleons on the counter without removing his finger. 

"I'm supposed to meet my uncle, Telemon Marcellus, have you seen him?" The bartender hesitated a moment, eyeing the gold under Sebastian's finger.

"Maybe," the grizzly man rubbed his chin in thought. "I know a Marcellus, not sure if he's the one you're looking for or not though." Bastian pulled another galleon out of his pocket and added it to the pile. "Ah, yes. Now I remember." He reached under the counter and pulled out a key, "He's waiting in room 9, up the stairs to the left."

Sebastian took the key from the older man before releasing the coins and nodding his thanks. He finished off his ale and made his way to the stairs; never fully taking his eyes off the room behind him. Taking the stairs two at a time, he swiftly found room nine and paused in front of the door. After a quick, deep breath the boy unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The scene that greeted him inside the room surprised Sebastian. He had been expecting something akin to the main room below, but instead found it almost charming. There was a small coffee table surrounded by chairs and a bay window that looked out over the shops. The floor was mostly covered by an old Persian rug, almost threadbare in some places but clearly it was originally of high quality. A mahogany roll-top desk sat in one corner, its dark color contrasting with the pale off-white of the walls. While there was a tea service placed on the table, Sebastian refrained from helping himself to any of the food, he didn't know Marcellus personally so he didn't really trust him, and he wasn't particularly fond of tea anyway.

He settled himself down on the cushions in the bay window to wait for the other man to appear. While he was waiting, he pulled a book from his knapsack and started to read. Suddenly, Bastian's hand flew into his pocket and pulled out his switch blade. Within seconds it was open and pressing lighting against the neck of the man who had tried to sneak up on him.

"You're Marcellus?" Sebastian's hand didn't move from its position until the man replied that he was. "I would advise you not to sneak up on me again; I've been a little jittery since Doc Peterson was kidnapped." He closed the knife and placed it back in his pocket.

"Acht, don't be worrying about me, boyo. I've been around a while; it'll take a wee more than your bitty-blade to take me down." He winked at Sebastian conspiratorially and moved over to one of the chairs by the table. "I was just wanting to see if you're as good as Teddy claimed. It is evident he was not exaggerating." Sebastian started to put his book away when the older man asked him about it.

"Hm? Oh, this is just a book of Horace's poems, to make sure I'm also using Latin outside of magic." He shrugged, slightly embarrassed, Latin wasn't something most 17-year-olds carried around in their backpacks just for the hell of it.

"I'll bet Ol' Teddy started you on that habit, didn't he boyo?" At Sebastian's affirmative, Marcellus just nodded his head. "Here's a secret for you, after you find that wayward teacher of yours, let him know Marc told you why he started carrying around books in other languages: they were really novels charmed to look like Latin and Greek texts on the covers and if you just glanced at the pages." The older man leaned back in his chair, a silly smug grin across his lips. "Acht! Here I am going on about Teddy in his school days when what we need to do is find the poor bastard so he can spend his days schooling you!" He scuttled over to the roll-top and pulled some papers out of a drawer. "Now, boyo, you said you wanted information on the three groups, where Teddy might be, and any dirt on Dumbledore, correct?"

"Yeah, whatever information you can give me I can use."

Marcellus riffled through his stack of papers before stopping on one and pulling it out. "Ah-ha! This is the one." He placed it on the table in front of Sebastian. "I managed to get in some digging since you contacted me the first time, and here's what there is on where Teddy is being held." He riffled through the papers again, pulling out a second sheet. "And here's the information connecting Dumbledore to the Phoenix group you were interested in, and," a third sheet joined the two already on the table, "here is a detailed description of one of the properties currently used by the Flaming Buzzards." He paused to allow Bastian a moment to peruse the new information. "Now, boyo, tell Uncle Marc what you're seeing on those pages."

"If," Bastian started hesitantly, "if all this information is correct, and I'm not saying it isn't, then Doc Peterson was kidnapped by Dumbledore." He glanced at Marcellus to gauge his reaction. "What about the other two groups, are they involved at all?"

Marcellus thought a moment before responding. "Aye, the one you called les Mangeurs de la Mort are part of this, but around here they're known as Death Eaters."

"So Voldemort's little cult never really disbanded when he disappeared, that's just _peachy_."

"I fear you have a long journey ahead of you, boyo. Best of luck to ya, and when you find Teddy, kick him in the pants for me and tell him to get in touch." With that, Marcellus handed Bastian the remainder of the papers he had pulled from the desk, and left the room without a backwards glance.

A few minutes later, after he had absorbed enough of the new information so he wouldn't be distracted on his trip back to the hotel, Sebastian packed up the papers he had been given and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him. Down the stairs, he tossed the key, along with another galleon, to the bartender as he walked by without stopping on his way to the door. As soon as he stepped out into Diagon Alley, he spun to the right and grabbed the shady man from earlier by the throat.

"Who are you and why the fuck are you following me?" As if his angry growl wasn't scary enough, he was already pulling the switchblade from his pocket. The man didn't respond, so Bastian pressed a little harder, "Answer me, dammit!"

The man coughed before struggling to reply, "Si…Sirius, and I was ordered to!"

"Ordered by whom?" The knife was still hanging loosely in his hand.

"…"

"I said, _by whom?!_" The blade was opened and brought closer to the man's neck.

"Dumbledore," Bastian slowly released his grip on the man. "Crap kid, if I had known you would lose it like that, I would have told the headmaster to do his own dirty work. Not my idea of a pleasant afternoon anyway, following some punk around on his shopping and trips to the bar." Sirius trailed off when he saw the look in Sebastian's eyes. "Uh… kid? You're not going to go ballistic again are you?"

"Listen, _Dog_, tell Dumbledore he and I will meet, however, until that day comes, he is to leave me and mine alone. Got it?" Bastian slammed the other man into the wall once more before completely releasing his robes. He spun on his heel, but before he walked off, he tossed one more thing over his shoulder, "That includes Dr. Theodore Peterson as well, so if I find out you know his location now and don't do anything about it, the next time we meet it will not be a pleasant reunion." With that, the youth walked quickly back towards the Leaky Cauldron and muggle London.

* * *

**AN:** Okay, so I know I've been promising an update for months now, and I'm really sorry that I haven't been faithful to that promise, but here's an extra long chapter (and shock! the plot actually advances!) anyway, I'm in the middle of finals week (which is why the my muse suddenly attacked, I have two 10 page papers due by thursday and 3/5 exams still to take), but after Friday, I have to whole summer, minus the drive across the country, to work on the story, so hopefully it won't be so long before the next update. 


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